Image: Thales
Thales has entered into exclusive negotiation to acquire, for USD 1.1bn1, Cobham Aerospace Communications, a supplier of advanced, ultra-reliable innovative safety cockpit communication systems.
With,690 employees, of which, 190 engineers, the company operates across a well-invested footprint in France, South Africa, USA / Canada and Denmark. It is expected to generate ~US$200m revenues in 2023.
Pursuing its strategy
With this acquisition, Thales aims to pursue its strategy to strengthen its Avionics portfolio:
Adding global leading position in safety cockpit communications, complementing Thales Avionics strong offering
Incorporating recently developed cutting edge products benefiting from solid positions with major OEMs and strong aftermarket/retrofit opportunities
“With the acquisition of Cobham Aerospace Communications and its highly skilled team of aerospace communications experts, and combined with our own critical avionics experts, Thales will establish a game changer in the very attractive and fast-growing communications and connectivity market to the benefit of a more sustainable aerospace future. By guaranteeing a cyber-secured, live connection between the cockpit and air traffic control, aircraft will be able to fly optimised trajectories in real time, significantly reducing fuel consumption and, consequently, CO2 emissions in the next two to three years,” said Yannick Assouad, Thales Executive Vice-President Avionics.
Nicolas Bonleux, Cobham Aerospace Communications Chief Executive Officer added: “This acquisition reflects the successful transformation of Cobham Aerospace Communications in recent years under Advent’s ownership. Our sizeable investment in R&D over the last years has further consolidated our position as a leading player in our markets, with a series of new contracts won already this year.
“We are proud to join Thales, which will provide Cobham Aerospace Communications with a platform to build on recent success, continue the development of several cutting-edge avionics products, and ensure the business’ future growth. The aircraft connectivity and communication markets will undergo a true revolution in the coming years, which will unlock potential for unique avionics products like ours. Our combined offering with Thales Avionics will enable us to further accelerate our contribution to safer, greener, more comfortable and more efficient air travel.”
